Combination paint container, closure, and mixer



COMBINATION PAINT CONTAINER, CLOSURE, AND MIXER Filed July 26, 1940 INVENTOR.

IBYXM ATTORNEY.

J. w. CHRISTENSEN I 2,264,827

Patented Dec. 2, 1941 COMBINATION PAINT CONTAINER, CLOSURE, AND MIXER Jack W. Christensen, Oak Park, Ill. Application July 26, 1940, Serial No. 347,625

1 Claim.

Paints are ordinarily contained in jars having overhanging fianges to receive a conventional cap. These jars usually have angular portions at the bottoms of the side walls. These flanges and angular portions retain and dry particles of paint in the container, causing shrinkage.

Frequently when an artist is painting he dedesires to add water or other paint to the paint obtained from the jar. Paper which is often available furnishes a poor surface for such mixtures. Paper is absorbent or the water runs off, causing loss or the mixture to be too thick. Often the paper is bulky and bends, with the result that the mixture falls onto the floor. Sometimes th artist will turn the cap of the jar over and use the inside of the cap as a mixing surface. This is unsatisfactory because the threads, ears or gaskets in the cap clog and prevent a proper mixture. Then again it is difficult if not impossible to ever clean the inside of the cap, and its later use as a cap may contaminate the contents of the jar.

It is among the objects of my invention to solve these problems by providing a container having a rounded inner bottom surface with no sharp corners, overhanging flanges, or sharp undercuts or offsets, and with a level bottom supporting surface so that there are no catch portions to hold and dry paint and cause shrinkage. Such a container would permit ready accessibility of an inserted brush to the sides and bottom as well as the center portion.

It is also an object of my invention to create a closure or cap for my container which has a depressed portion or portions in its upper outer or top surface so that the artist may have without further search a surface for the immediate mixing of the paint obtained from the jar with Water or other paints, said surface being concaved so as to prevent spilling. The cap is of course made of non absorbent material, and is of such a size as to be conveniently held in the palm of the hand of the artist.

My invention also contemplates such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred form of my invention, yet I desire it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my closure; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view and 55 Fig. 3 a vertical sectional view of the same; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the preferred form of my container; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of my closure and container with a modified bottom portion, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of my closure.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, it comprises a container or jar lil having an open top H of substantial width, with side walls l2 meeting in a curved or conical bottom portion l3. This construction provides a container free from any undercuts or offsets and eliminates the possibility of any sharp junctures or slight depressions due to faulty manufacture or shrinkage of materials. All projections or undercuts are eliminated to facilitate cleaning and to avoid the possibility of material lodging in an unaccessible place. The exterior sidewalls extend downward past the inner formation to a point where they project equally about the circumference of the jar in a manner to form a rim M which assures the jar of maintaining a level, upright position under normal usage. In Fig. 5 the outer surface of the jar proceeds down below the inside bottom sufficiently to form a flat bottom with an even surface so that the jar when placed on a fiat surface will stand level. The upper lip 15 of the jar or container I0 is preferably constructed in the manner shown to hold a cap or closure It in a satisfactory manner and to provide a bearing surface for a gasket between the jar and cap if the materials to be contained warrant the use of a gasket. This jar can be made of glass, plastic, stamped metal, cast metal, earthenware, or any other satisfactory material.

The upper outer portion or top H of my closure I6 has an inwardly and downwardly extending rounded portion or depression l8. Said depression is formed, preferably, in a spherical shape, though it may take a more conical, or a partially flat form, and extends, preferably to a point slightly above the lower edge of the vertical attaching portion IS, with a space all around between it and said portion Hi. This space is necessary for accommodating the upper edge l5 of the jar l0 and, if'required, a gasket. I have found that by constructing the inwardly-projecting portion 3 in the form of a partial sphere I can much more expeditiously and satisfactorily use the caps for mixing and applying materials. Caps so formed are much more easily cleaned than when said projecting portion is made in any other form.

My closure [6 is made of glass, plastic, stamped metal, cast metal, earthenware, or any other suitable material which is impervious to paint or water and which may be readily cleaned.

When the cap I6 is constructed of metal, it is preferably coated with suitable water-proof, noncorrosive substance. When the cap is of metal or other material a clean white surface is most satisfactory for the mixing of colored pigments.

It will be observed that the inwardly-projecting portion l8 forms an integral part of the main body of the cap I6 which is either molded, pressed, stamped, or cast out of one piece of ma; terial. The depression I8 does not, preferably, extend below the lower edge of the vertical at-v taching portion I 9, by which construction the cap or closure 16 when removed from the jar or container l0 and placed on a flat surface will remain in a level position.

Around the outer rim 29 of the closure H5, is a step 2|. This step permits nesting of one closure l6 placed on another.

The exact method of attaching the cap to the container is entirely optional and has nothing to do with the functions for which I have designed this cap other than it must fulfill all the sealing functions of standard caps when used in conjunction with containers.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of my closure l6 with a plurality of spaced depressions It] for a plurality of mixtures.

In use my container not only acts in its usual capacity as a storage means for paint, but also provides increased accessibility to its contents down to the smallest quantities, since the ma terials are forced by the form of the container to flow to a central area. The shape facilitates cleaning and prevents clogging and drying. The closures in addition to functioning as caps also are available for use as handy mixing and applying devices. The caps may be easily cleaned and stacked and are of a small size convenient for use by the artist in the palm of his hand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In combination with a container adapted to hold paint, said container having a wide, open top, a closure adapted to removably close the open top of said container, said closure having vertical side walls of substantial height, a flat rim extending at right angles from the tops of said side walls, a step having walls extending up- Wardly from the inner extent of said flat rim and an upper flat rim extending at right angles from said upwardly extending walls, and a central concaved portion extending downwardly and inwardly from the inner ends of said upper rim, the lowest extent of said concaved portion ending slightly above the bottom ends of said side walls to form a dish of substantial depth, the bottom ends of said side walls adapted to hold said closure in level position when placed on a flat surface, said closure being formed of non-absorbent material impervious to paint and water and readily cleanable, said closure of such a size as to be conveniently held in the palm of the hand, said closure adapted to receive paint in its concaved portion from said container and because of its substantial depth to receive and permit mixing of other paint or water to be applied directly therefrom to an object being painted.

JACK W. CHRISTENSEN. 

